Agreements

Memorandum of Understanding between FAPESP and the Royal Academy of Engineering

Memorandum of Understanding between the Royal Academy of Engineering and the São Paulo Research Foundation

The Royal Academy of Engineering (hereinafter referred to as ‘The Academy’) and The Sao Paulo Research Foundation (hereinafter referred to as ‘FAPESP’) – (collectively hereinafter referred to as ‘the Participants’) –, seeking to build on the existing friendly and co-operative relationship between the two countries, and specifically to encourage and support increased capacity in the State of Sao Paulo in the area of innovation,

Have reached the following understanding for pursuing collaboration under the ‘translation’ strand of the Newton Fund:

SECTION 1

Objective

The Primary Objective of the collaboration pursued under this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be to support the innovation capacity of the State of Sao Paulo for their long term sustainable growth. This will be achieved through collaboration on a programme promoting innovation and entrepreneurial skills development and activities, and long term innovation partnership and exchange between the two countries.

Collaboration under this MoU will build on existing UK-Brazil science, research and innovation agreements. It will not preclude other bilateral or multilateral cooperation activities and agreements in research and innovation in which each Participant may take part.

SECTION 2

Form of Collaborative Activities

2A. UK Activities

The Academy will offer its Leaders in Innovation Fellowships Programme (‘LIF Programme’) to individuals from the State of Sao Paulo. For further details of the LIF Programme, see Annex 1.

2B. State of Sao Paulo Activities

FAPESP will provide additional support to the participants in the LIF Programme in line with the Objective of this collaboration (see Section 1). This support will be in the form of indication of participants from the Innovative Research in Small Businesses, PIPE. For further details, see Annex 2.

SECTION 3

Executing Authorities

The Executing Authorities for the purposes of this Memorandum of Understanding (‘MoU’) will be the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Sao Paulo Research Foundation.

FAPESP will select, unilaterally and according to the broad criteria described in Annex 1, a cohort or cohorts of individuals supported through the Small Business Innovative Research Programme to participate in the LIF Programme.

The Academy will approve, unilaterally and according to the broad selection criteria described in Annex 1, the cohort or cohorts of individuals who will participate in the LIF Programme. The Academy will deliver the LIF Programme to this cohort, or cohorts, as described in Section 2A, unilaterally.

FAPESP will provide additional support to the participants in the LIF Programme, as described in Section 2B, unilaterally.

SECTION 4

Funding and Resources

The UK activities carried out under this MoU (Section 2A) will be funded by The Academy and Sao Paulo activities (Section 2B) carried out under this MoU will be funded by FAPESP under, and counting towards, the total provision of funding for the Newton Fund, and in accordance with each Participant’s obligations under the Newton Fund. It is intended that, through the activities carried out under this MoU and described in Section 2, The Academy on one side and FAPESP on the other side will provide equivalent levels of support towards the Objective of this collaboration as described in Section 1.

The Academy will offer the LIF Programme to a number of cohorts of individuals from the State of Sao Paulo, agreed by both Participants to meet the broad selection criteria for the scheme described in Annex 1, as follows:

2 cohorts of up to 15 individuals, in year 1, beginning the Programme on December 2015. Each individual will be a researcher who is a recipient of Phase One funding under FAPESP’s Small Business Innovative Research Programme (PIPE).

SECTION 5

Review and Monitoring

As part of a programme of wider engagement, the Participants agree to:

Conduct an annual operational level review meeting, virtually or in person, to jointly review the operation of the activities carried out under this MoU;

Review annually the amount of funding allocated from each Participant to the activities carried out under this MoU;

Monitor annually the impact of the activities carried out under this MoU, against mutually agreed metrics and indicators, towards the stated Objective of this collaboration.

The Academy agrees to:

Annually collect feedback from Sao Paulo participants in the LIF Programme, and share this information with FAPESP, in support of the operational level review meeting.

FAPESP agrees to:

Share with The Academy, and support The Academy with the collection of all necessary information as might be required and requested by third parties, such as the UK Government, in evaluating and monitoring the activities carried out under this MoU.

SECTION 6

Duration, Effective Date and Termination

This MoU will come into effect on the date of its signature by the Participants and will remain valid for a period of 5 years. It may be terminated earlier by one Participant giving the other Participant a written notice at least 90 days before the date of termination.

The termination of the MoU will not affect any funds already disbursed or spent unless otherwise decided by the Participants.

This MoU may be amended with the mutual written consent of the Participants. This MoU is a statement of intent, but is not a legally binding document and does not create legal obligations under international law.

Signed in duplicate, in English and Portuguese, 2 copies each.

For The Royal Academy of Engineering:

Philip Greenish
Chief Executive

Signature:
Date:

For São Paulo Research Foundation:

José Goldemberg
President

Signature:
Date:

ANNEX 1

UK Activities: The Royal Academy of Engineering Leaders in Innovation Fellowships Programme

Working with a select number of partner countries, the primary objective of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Leaders in Innovation Fellowships Programme (‘LIF Programme’) is to build the capacity of researchers for entrepreneurship and commercialisation of their research. A wider benefit of the LIF Programme will be the creation of international networks of innovators and technology entrepreneurs, centred around The Academy’s Enterprise Hub.

The LIF Programme is aimed at researchers within the partner country who are in the process of, or at the point of, developing a business proposition for their innovation. This innovation can be any new product, technology or service, based on research in engineering defined in its broadest sense to encompass a wide range of fields. A cohort, or cohorts, of researchers from that country will benefit from a focused period of training in the UK, the support of expert mentors, exposure to one or more UK-based technology driven organisations, and opportunities for international networking. In the short term they will develop, with the support of the LIF Programme, a commercialisation plan for their innovation.

Each cohort of researchers (Leaders in Innovation ‘fellows’) – selected based on the excellence of their innovation, its potential benefit in terms of economic and social welfare development, the potential of their idea for commercialisation, and their potential as individuals in taking the idea forward – will be invited to attend an 8-day residential programme, in the UK.

Week 1 (days 1-5) will consist of a tailored and comprehensive training programme in innovation leadership, delivered by expert trainers, and based on existing training programmes the Academy provides to UK researchers. Lasting 5 days, the course will focus on transferable skills and knowledge in business modelling, customer development and presentation/pitching. Over the course of the week, there will be time for each fellow to develop their own business plan, at the same time receiving guidance and mentorship from expert mentors. The week will conclude with an activity where researchers pitch their revised business plans to a panel of expert mentors.

Week 2 (days 6-8) will allow the fellows to apply the skills and knowledge they have developed in week 1 and gain direct experience of a UK-based technology driven organisation. Fellows will be split into small groups and assigned to a project proposed by the organisation. Facilitated by expert trainers, the project will involve tackling a genuine market challenge or opportunity faced by that organisation.

Delivery of the LIF Programme in the UK will be arranged and funded by The Academy, including: all training and mentoring costs; venue hire; international and UK travel for the participants; all hotel accommodation and breakfast meals; and, lunchtime meals and refreshments during training sessions.

ANNEX 2

Sao Paulo Activities: Leaders in Innovation Fellowships Programme

The FAPESP Program for Innovative Research in Small Business (PIPE) supports innovation programs of technological research in small companies. The program aims to support the development of innovative pieces of research, to be carried out in small businesses in the State of São Paulo, centered on significant science and technology problems which have a high potential for commercial or social return.

The projects must be developed by researchers who have links with small businesses or which are associated with them for the implementation of the project. Among the different objectives of the Program, it is the contribution to the creation of a culture which values research activity in business environments, with a consequent improvement in the professional area of activity of the researchers.

The LIF Program is in accordance with PIPE, since the implementation of the project and reaching the market is very dependent on costumer development, innovation and business competencies.

Through its PIPE Program, FAPESP aims to complement the LIF Program, selecting potential candidates, previously supported or currently being supported by FAPESP Program and with new possibilities of submissions, in face of the new knowledge available through the LIF Program.

FAPESP will open the possibility of new submissions in the PIPE Phase II, with financing of up to R$ 1.000.000,00, with 24 months duration, to the development of research activities in accordance to the Business Plan developed through the LIF programme.

Delivery of the PIPE Program and specific support to new proposals coming from the initiative will be funded by FAPESP, including all items presented in the norms of the Program, including Consumables, Equipment, Third-Party Services, Transportation and Daily-Expenses related to the project, Participation in Scientific Meetings, with the presentation of project results and/or Fellowships.